A team of Oyster reporters spent weeks exploring 31 Orlando hotels. We slept in the beds, ate in the restaurants, tested the service, and lounged by the pools, all with an eye toward selecting the most distinguished properties. What follows is a list of some great golf resorts, but if you want to get a better look at the greens you can also check out our golf resorts slideshow.
The Ginn Reunion Resort features three well-regarded courses: one by Arnold Palmer, one by Jack Nicklaus, and one by Tom Watson. Together, these 54 holes make up some of the best golf in Orlando. While green fees are steep, they're in line with what other resorts, like the Ritz-Carlton and Omni ChampionsGate, charge.
The Ritz-Carlton sits on a long, challenging golf course designed by two-time British Open winner Greg Norman and rated by Golf Digest as one of Florida's top courses. It is surrounded by the woods, lakes, and wildlife of the Grande Lakes property, as well as the JW Marriott resort. Kids play free with each paying adult (the green fee also includes golf cart rentals and use of the driving range).
The JW Marriott shares the same challenging, 18-hole course as the Ritz-Carlton.
With two full courses designed by Greg Norman, the David Leadbetter Golf Academy on-site, and a nine-hole par-three course that's illuminated at night, golf is one of the main draws at the Omni Orlando.
The resort's 18-hole, par 71 golf course, Hawk's Landing, offers Callaway Golf rental equipment and half-day, one-day, or two-day lessons available through the on-site Bill Madonna Golf Academy.